This invention relates to a manually operated fluid dispenser having a child-resistant nozzle assembly requiring a three-step manipulation for rotation of a nozzle cap about its longitudinal axis between discharge ON and discharge OFF positions.
The child-resistant nozzle assembly according to the invention is an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,411, commonly owned herewith, in which a nozzle cover surrounds the nozzle cap and is freely rotatable thereabout and is moveable along the longitudinal axis thereof to render the cap child-resistant. Engaging portions on the cap and the cover are longitudinally spaced apart in a first position to prevent cap rotation by rotating the cover, and are interengaged in a second longitudinal position to enable the cap to rotate by the nozzle cover between the ON and OFF positions. A two-step manipulation is thus required for rotation of the nozzle cap from its OFF position, i.e., a longitudinal shifting of the nozzle cover until the engaging portions unite followed by rotation of the cover. While such a solution is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and highly effective in preventing accidental operation of the dispenser by a child, improvements over this child-resistant nozzle assembly is desirable.
Another type of child-resistant nozzle assembly requiring a two-step manipulation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,204,614 and 4,257,561 each requiring a two-step manipulation for rotation of a screw threaded nozzle cap to an ON position about its axis from an OFF position. For this purpose a spring biased tab or lug is provided on the dispenser body capable of being manually depressed from the top of the dispenser. A ramp presenting a stop shoulder (""614 patent) or an open slot (""561 patent) is provided on the cap skirt. Thus in the OFF position with the cap threaded down to a completely closed position, the stop shoulder is engaged by a tab (""614 patent) or the lug is received by the slot (""561 patent) to prevent cap rotation. The lug or tab must first be depressed to disengage the stop shoulder or to shift out of engagement with the slot while the cap is unscrewed to shift it to a selected ON position.
Both child-resistant nozzle assemblies are designed for preventing accidental operation of a dispenser by a child where the nozzle cap shifts along its longitudinal axis between ON and OFF Positions. However, it has been found that a strong grip on the nozzle cap while unthreading it can be made to override the engagement by the lug or tab especially if a grip assist of some sort is provided on the cap.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve upon the child-resistant nozzle assemblies of the aforedescribed type by the provision of a child-resistant nozzle assembly for a fluid dispenser which requires a three-step manipulation to thereby enhance the child-resistant properties of the assembly when dispensing especially household or garden fluids which may be toxic or harmful especially when swallowed or when sprayed on one""s skin or face.
In carrying out this objective a nozzle cover surrounds the cap and is freely rotatable thereon while being moveable along the axis of the cap. Confronting engaging portions on the cap and the cover are longitudinally spaced apart in a first position to prevent cap rotation by cover rotation thereby preventing nozzle cap rotation from its OFF position. When the nozzle cap is shifted such that the engaging portions interengage, one of a three-step required manipulation is achieved for ultimately effecting nozzle cap rotation.
The dispenser body is further provided with a longitudinally extending spring biased tab engagable with at least one stop shoulder on the nozzle cap in an OFF rotative position thereof. Thus even with the engaging portions between the cover and cap interengaged, the cap cannot be rotated upon cover rotation until the lug is manually shifted out of engagement with the stop shoulder thereby permitting cap rotation upon cover rotation while maintaining the lug depressed.
The stop shoulder on the nozzle cap may be in the form of a slot which is engaged by the tab and which prevents rotation of the cap in either direction. The slot is located at an OFF position of the cap and may have opposing stop shoulders which flare inwardly toward one another to more positively prevent a possible override of the tab on cap rotation. The stop shoulders may include thickened portions of the wall of the cap skirt which are tapered permitting the tab to conveniently spring snap into place upon cap rotation back to its OFF position.
The nozzle cover may comprise a cylindrical skirt, and the skirt may have a dome-shaped windshield extending from an upstream end thereof.
Other objects, novel features and advantages of the invention will be described in more detail in the following when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.